International versions
The immense popularity of Wheel of Fortune since its 1975 debut has caused the format to be sold in many countries around the world, albeit to varying amounts of success. These international versions tend to deviate from the normal American format and typically offer less (or more) money depending on the available budget, puzzle difficulty, and Wheel layouts. Many of these versions also had home games, published by companies such as Waddington's and branches of Milton Bradley, which were usually localized versions of the American games (and most frequently those made by Pressman) with near-identical parts. (Note that with perhaps the exception of the British and Australian versions, none of these versions will have an article on this Wiki. If you know a lot about a particular version and want to make a Wikia site all about its history, hosts, etc., then feel free to do so.) Argentina Tiempo Límite ATP runs, or ran, on America TV. Australia Probably the most well-known iteration to those outside its home country, the Aussie Wheel was a Reg Grundy production which ran on the Seven Network from 21 July 1981 to 28 July 2006 for 5,093 episodes. The show began with Ernie Sigley and Adriana Xenides on a set that (per Grundy's standard) heavily resembled the then-current American one, down to the green-glitter backdrops behind the players. In 1982, the contestant backdrops were replaced by a set of sunbursts nearly identical to the then-current American ones, which were in turn replaced in late 1992 by an "art deco" style. The format was mostly the same as the American version, with a fanfare playing when the top dollar value was hit. There was also a different scoring system: while spins were not multiplied by how many times the letter was in the puzzle, the contestant never had to solve to keep his/her bank for that round; as a result, vowels cost a mere $50. The Wheel had 96 pegs with each wedge being four pegs wide, compared to 72 pegs with three pegs per wedge in most other versions. The dollar values were all multiples of 5, instead of the 50 of most versions. John Burgess replaced Sigley in June 1984, and he and Xenides became the faces of Wheel in Australia. Around the same time, the Bonus Round began having the day's winner spin a Golden Wheel to determine the prize they would play for; the puzzle itself gave the player two consonants and a vowel, then an additional consonant for every $2,000 the player had earned – up to $38,000 for all the consonants. At the beginning of 1996, the puzzle board was upgraded to have four rows and Burgess shaved off his mustache, a style he (like Alex Trebek) retains to this day. Burgess' departure was abrupt and, he since claimed, it was an accident that he even found out about it: the show had decided to move to Sydney, and Burgess' last episode on 12 July 1996 has him mentioning this with the pronoun "we", including himself. He was replaced by Tony Barber on 15 July, and the format and set were overhauled (among other things, no more shopping; a near-vertical Wheel; a "five envelopes" Bonus Round much like the American one; and a new theme song that incorporated lyrics). Viewers did not take to the changes, even after the Golden Wheel and classic theme were reinstated on August 19, and moreso when Adriana left in November due to suffering from depression (Kerrie Friend filled in for her). As a result, the old format returned in January 1997 with Barber passing the torch to new host Rob Elliott. Adriana returned in July, but left permanently in June 1999 and was replaced by Sophie Falkiner. To celebrate its 22nd Anniversary, Wheel did a special three-week tournament from August 11-29, 2003. Representatives from the Australian states competed in a series of heats, and the biggest winners from those played for the title of "State Champion" and go for a Renault Clio in the Bonus Round; home viewers were also awarded $10,000 each day, for a total of $150,000. These episodes were the first to air in high-definition, and also debuted a new set of graphics (including new opening/closing credits); Melanie Simon filled in for Falkiner for a few episodes during the tournament, including the finale. Elliott left on November 28, replaced by Steve Oemcke when the show returned in February 2004; this also saw the introduction of a new, touch-based puzzle board. Wheel was shelved in December due to low ratings, although 20 episodes had been recorded (with Oemcke and a visibly-pregnant Falkiner) for the new year. When the show returned on January 30, 2006, it had been freshened up with new hosts Larry Emdur and Laura Csortan. 21 March was both the 5,000th episode and a celebration of the show's 25th Anniversary, with special $5,000 wedges on the Wheel; no clips were shown, however. While Wheel ended again on 28 July, the network still had some unfinished business: from 31 July-25 August, the 10:00 AM slot consisted of the 20 unaired Oemcke shows, the first of which had a "welcome back to 2005" message. Interestingly, the category strips continued to call Fill In the Blank "Blank" and the "decade" categories by their written form (i.e., "The Sixties") through at least part of 2006. Also, the Puzzler became exclusive to home viewers, not unlike the Preview Puzzle. 2008 The programme returned briefly on the Nine Network from 26 May-27 June 2008 as Million-Dollar Wheel of Fortune, hosted by Tim Campbell and Kelly Landry. While the American version adopted the Million-Dollar Wedge almost immediately afterward, the Australian version only used it in Round 1 (on the yellow $110 between $200 and $165), greatly decreasing the already-small chance of awarding it. Normally, the Bonus Round had a single $200,000 wedge; another $200,000 wedge was added each time it was not won, and taking the Million-Dollar Wedge to the Bonus Round only replaced one of these wedges. Gameplay Elements Initially, the top amounts were $240 in Round 1, $460 in Round 2, and $1,200 in Rounds 3+; these were increased in 1985 to $360/$690/$1,800, followed by $400/$750/$2,000 beginning on the 2,000th episode in 1990. In 1995, the top values were again upped to $500/$1,000/$2,000 (although from July 1996 until 1997, and again from 1999-2000, it used a $500/$1,000/$1,000/$2,000 structure). In 2000, the values were increased for the last time to $750/$1,500/$2,500. * Flip-Up (2004-08) - worked exactly like the Toss-Ups of the American version, albeit with no value. Two Flip-Ups were played, the second before Round 4. A third Flip-Up was played before Round 2, albeit a Prize Puzzle; like the American version, whoever solved correctly won a prize related to the puzzle, often a small prize. The 2008 revival called the Flip-Ups by their American name (Toss Up) and renamed the Prize Puzzle ("Cash Up", as it now awarded a $500 bonus). * Free Spin - just like the American version, except it could also be used in Speed Up rounds. Originally, it was a blue wedge, but in July 1996 it became a small golden rectangular token on a blue $250 (which also allowed the player to add $250 to their score). In 1997, it was moved to the purple $135 (later $150). The free spin was awarded before the contestant put the letter on the board. * Bankrupt - from July 1996 to 1998, it had the further penalty of wiping out that player's score in the game up to that point. Originally, there was one Bankrupt in Round 1 and two for subsequent rounds; in July 1996, the second Bankrupt only appeared in Round 4, with its position being replaced by a blue $600. Sometime in 2000, the second Bankrupt was moved to the green $210 between $600 and $165; at some point later on, it moved again to the purple $180, and in 2006 it was on the red $180. * Lose A Turn - exactly like the American version. There was one wedge in Rounds 1-3 (Rounds 1-2 until July 1996 and again from 1997-98) and two in Round 4 (Round 3 in the aforementioned timeframes). * Red Mystery Letter (1994 to July 1996, 1997-2006) - if a letter revealed was red, the value spun was doubled and added to the contestant's score. * Goodie (1994-95) - a wedge valued the same as the top dollar value. * Surprise Wedge (1995-96, 1999-2006) - just like the US version. In its first stint, it was placed on the yellow $180 in Round 1, the yellow $210 in Round 2, and the blue $200 in Round 3. From 1999-2002, it was placed on the red $165 in Rounds 2-3 and the blue $220 in Round 4; sometime after the retirement of the Car Wedge, it was placed in that spot. In 2006, it moved to the red $165 in Round 1 and the red $310 in Rounds 2-3 (it is unknown where it was placed in Round 4). * Bonus Wedge - worked exactly like the Prize wedge on the American version and the Surprise. The blue wedge (gold with bold black writing from 1993 to July 1996, a small silver token during the Barber era) gave the player who landed on it a chance to win a prize. As the wedge, it was placed where the Surprise had been; as the silver token, it was on the blue $390 in Rounds 2-3 (its Round 4 location is unknown). * Bonus Prize - a short-lived item that worked exactly like the Bonus Wedge, except it was given to the first person to spin the top dollar value. * Bonus Puzzle - worked like the "bonus" categories of the American version, with a $200 bonus. * Mystery Wedge (2003-08) – worked like the American version, except the "bribe" was $500 (as both were placed on a blue $500) and the Mystery prize was never cash. * Car Wedge (February 2000 to 2002) - the player who landed on this had to call a correct letter, solve that puzzle, then solve a later puzzle to win the car. It was placed on the blue $150 in Round 1, the green $180 in Rounds 2-3, and the blue $295 between Bankrupt and $375 in Round 4. * Speed Up - like the American version, except the arrow used to determine the value of each consonant was that of the player in control when Speed Up began and there could be more than one Speed Up in an episode. Notably, Free Spins could be used. (In the event the host landed on the Prize wedge, the first player to call a correct letter picked up the prize and received the value underneath it, but had to solve the puzzle to claim the prize; the value underneath the Prize wedge then became the value for the rest of the round.) Belgium Het Rad Der Fortuin aired on BRT and was hosted by Mike Verdrengh. It is also likely to be the first international adaptation, as it debuted in 1975 and contains elements of the early American episodes, including the Buy A Vowel wedge (and, interestingly, a four-line puzzle board). This version ended later in the decade. A revival, Het Rad Van Fortuin, ran on VTM from 1989-97, hosted at various times by Walter Capiau and Bart Kaell. The show returned on Canvas from 2004-06, hosted by Luc Appermont. Brazil One of the many Brazilian game shows hosted by Silvio Santos, Roletrando aired on SBT during the 1980s-90s and appears to have been at least partly based on the American format – by 1991, they began using a bonus envelope holder not unlike the American one in use at the time, albeit larger and with seven envelopes. 2003-''' The current version, Roda a Roda ("Wheel to Wheel"), debuted 13 October 2003 on SBT, hosted again by Santos with Patricia Salvador as hostess. It is also heavily based on the American version. Originally sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, in 2006 Jequiti (then a relatively-new cosmetics company) took over the role. On 4 April 2010, the show introduced three 1 Milhão wedges placed by the contestants before Round 1; these work the same as the American version's Million-Dollar Wedge, although the wedges are entirely green with no Bankrupts. The top prize has been won at least four times: 24 October 2010, 8 May 2011, an episode around October 2011, and 29 April 2012. Two interesting differences for the current revival are that trilons are still used and, from at least 20 September 2009 through August 2011, Santos would switch places with Salvador partway through each round. Two major differences are that vowels are chosen in the same manner as consonants, and that on at least this version the game has 12 rounds with a time limit for each; if time runs out in any round, it presumably moves to Speed-Up. A weekly hour-long series, Roda a Roda Jequiti, debuted on 6 September 2008. On 23 April 2012, Santos and Salvador were replaced for both versions by Patricia Abravanel and Liminha, although their run on Jequiti only lasted two episodes before being replaced on 13 May by a revival of Vamos Brincar de Forca ("Let's Play Hangman"), which had been Santos' first program back in 1961; the new version, hosted by Santos, was sponsored by Jequiti as the weekly Roda had been. On 7 October, Vamos began sharing some of the daily Roda set, including an all-new touch-screen puzzle board. Vamos ended on 31 March 2013, being replaced by the return of Roda a Roda Jequiti, now hosted by Santos and Abravanel (who also now did the daily series as well). Bulgaria Колелото на късмета (or Koleloto na kasmeta), hosted by Rumen Lukanov and Jasmina Toshkova, debuted January 18, 2010 on Nova TV. Cambodia A version ostensibly for children aired around 2009 on CTN, as can be seen in this video. The Wheel on this version is short, with a stark black/white contrast on the wedges, very tall pegs, and a single arrow in the center. The theme resembles "Do-Re-Mi" from The Sound of Music. Nothing is known about this version outside of the aforementioned video. Canada A French-Canadian version, La Roue Chanceuse, was hosted by Donald Lautrec and Lyne Sarrazin. This iteration, airing on TQS from May 1, 1989 to Spring 1992, borrowed and mixed various elements from the American series: the Rounds 1-2 Wheel first used on daytime in September 1989 (although the show originally had a layout with $50 and $75) and a set that could be best described as a "knockoff" of the 1986-89 daytime one; sometime in the early 1990s, the "knockoff" sunburst backdrops were replaced by a set of hexagons, although at times large stars were placed over the hexagons. Also present were a very similar opening sequence (complete with a theme very similar to "Changing Keys"), a version of the W-H-E-E-L envelopes (spelling L-A-R-O-U-E), and even a localized "I'm a Wheel Watcher". It is known that the shopping format was used for at least part of the run. Chile La Rueda de la Fortuna, hosted by Rodolfo Torrealba, ran on Canal 13 from 1978-79 (one of only two versions known to have debuted in the 1970s). In 2012, the show returned as La Ruleta de la Suerte, hosted by Sergio Lagos. Colombia La Rueda de La Suerte, hosted by Mauro Urquijo, aired on Canal Caracol from 1998-99. A revival for Canal RCN, helmed by Gonzalo Vivanco, debuted in 2012. Croatia Kolo Sreće, hosted by Oliver Mlakar and Maja Vracaric, was another hit for the franchise, running on HRT1 from 1993-2002. Czech Republic Kolotoč aired briefly on TV Nova in 1996, then returned for a modest five-year run from 1997-2002. Hosts included Pavel Poulicek, Dalibor Gondik, and Honza Musils. Denmark Lykkehjulet debuted on 1 October 1988 and quickly brought success to TV2, which aired the show. The program originally used the shopping format, but later switched to a play-for-cash format. The show was originally helmed by Michael Meyerheim and Pia Dresner, but they were replaced in 1989 by Bengt Burg and Carina Jensen. Jensen was replaced by Maria Hirse in 1995, with Burg briefly replaced by Keld Heick from 1996-97. Although Burg returned in 1997, he left for good in 2000 and was replaced by Lars Herlow. The Wheel was slightly smaller, using only 22 wedges. When the show began, the top amount was 1,500 Kroner in early rounds and 2,500 in later ones; from 1990-98, the top value was 3,000 Kroner in Round 1 and 5,000 in subsequent rounds. 5,000 became top value in all rounds in 1998. (Vowels cost 500 Kroner throughout the run.) Lykkehjulet ended in 2001 after 3,599 episodes due to declining viewership and a failed attempt at "modernizing" the show for its final season. It is known that one of these alterations was the debut of an electronic puzzle board. Ecuador La Rueda de la Fortuna has aired since 2004 on Ecuavisa, hosted by Pancho Cabanilla. Egypt دائرة الحياة (or Daeret Al Hayat), hosted by Kareem Kojak and Heba Sameer Goudah, began airing on Al Hayat TV on August 19, 2012. This version uses some sounds from the US one, such as the puzzle reveal chimes, but others (including the Prize Puzzle chimes and Final Spin bells) are unique to this version. The game appears to use points, with the top values being 1,000 in Round 1, 2,000 for Rounds 2-3, and 2,500 in Round 4 with the second Bankrupt added on the pink 200 in Round 4. The Toss-Ups, played at the same points as the US version, are worth 1,000-1,000-2,000. Vowels cost 150. Round 1 is a normal round, Round 2 is the Prize Puzzle round, and Round 3 uses the $10,000 Wedge placed on the purple 700 (the only removable "extra" on the Wheel, although it does not carry over into Round 4 if it is not claimed). It appears that, much like the 1973-74 American pilots, the game is limited to four rounds and there is not always a Final Spin during Round 4; even if the Final Spin is used, nothing is added to the value the host lands on and "invalid" spins are edited out. Solving a puzzle with a score of 0 awards 1,000, even if it is the Prize Puzzle. However, there is no house minimum. Estonia Õnneratas originally aired from 1999-2000 on TV3 with Emil Rutiku as host. The current run, now called Suur lotokolmapäev and hosted by Mart Sander, debuted in 2011 on Kanal 2. Finland Finland had another popular version named Onnenpyörä, which ran on MTV3 (not related to the music-based cable network) from Spring 1993-2001. It was originally hosted by Kim Floor and Saija Palin; Floor was dismissed in June 1993 and replaced in August by Janne Porkka. France France was among the more successful countries regarding Wheel. La Roue de la Fortune debuted on 5 January 1987 as a daily series on TF1 hosted by Michel Robbe and Annie Pujol, and was heavily based on the American format (complete with shopping and even a similar Wheel color scheme). The only difference was that vowels cost ₣500 (Francs) and this was not deducted if the vowel was not in the puzzle. Robbe left in September 1987 and was replaced by Christian Morin, who was in turn replaced by Alexandre Debanne in January 1993. In January 1995, Debanne and Pujol were replaced by Olivier Chiabodo and Sandra Rossi, but Rossi apparently did not fit with the show and was replaced after a month by Frederique Calvez. The show ended in April 1997. '''2006-12 La Roue de la Fortune returned on 7 August 2006, now hosted by Christophe Dechavanne and Victoria Silvstedt. As before, most of the format was copied from the American one, albeit using Euros. The normal top value on the Wheel was €500, and vowels cost €200. Among the Wheel wedges are Hold-Up (which allows that player to steal an opponent's score for that round) and €0 (same as $0 on the 1973 Shopper's Bazaar pilot). Around 2010, 1/2 Auto wedges were introduced, a forerunner to the Half-Car tags used on the American version. The show became a daytime series on 2 January 2012, changing its format and replacing Dechavanne and Silvstedt with Benjamin Castaldi and Valérie Bègue. €300 was the normal top value on the Wheel, vowels cost €100, and gameplay was as follows: * Round 1 (Mystery): played just like America, with a "bribe" of €50 per letter and one wedge hiding €500. When one is revealed, the other one is also removed, unlike the US version. * Round 2 (Caverne): landing on the Cavern space sent that player to a prize-filled cavern where s/he had 30 seconds to collect as many prizes as they could without exceeding €1,500. Afterward, they chose a consonant for €150. * Round 3 (Flash Cash): if the Flash Cash wedge was landed on, that player had 10 seconds to solve the puzzle for €1,000 minus €100 for each second elapsed. * Round 4 had several wedges: Weekend (a weekend trip to a popular vacation spot), Hold-Up (same as before), and one similar to the Million-Dollar Wedge that offers €60,000 in the Bonus Round. In the Bonus Round, the winning contestant played for an electric car or cash of up to €30,000 (€60,000 if that player had the aforementioned wedge). The gameplay was otherwise exactly like the American version. This overhauled format only lasted for two months, and the series as a whole ended on 23 March. Georgia იღბლიანი ბორბალი (or Igbliani Barbali), hosted by Duta Skhirtladze, has aired on Rustavi 2 since March 3, 2011. The hostess wears a bikini, and trilons are still used. Germany Wheel also became popular in Germany as the long-running Glücksrad, debuting on Sat.1 on November 7, 1988. In a rare move, Frederic Meisner and Peter Bond alternated hosting duties from episode to episode, with Maren Gilzner as hostess. In late 1991, the trio did a behind-the-scenes special while at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida about the American Wheel's "Around the World" tapings of Season 9, which had quite a few other international hosts and hostesses present as well. In mid-May 1998, the show moved to Kabel Eins; Bond and Gilzer left shortly afterward, the latter replaced by Sonja Kraus around 2000. The last changes came near the end, as Meisner was replaced in 2001 by Thomas Ohrner and Kraus was replaced in 2002 by Katrin Wrobel. The show ended on October 31, 2002. The show returned on 9 Live from March 2004 to March 2005, with Meisner and Ramona Drews hosting. Kinder-Glücksrad A children's version, hosted by Petra Hausberg, aired on Sat.1 from 1992-93. In a rarity for the franchise, there was no hostess. Glücksrad-Gala A bigger-budget series aired on Sat.1 from 1993-96, presumably replacing Kinder-Glücksrad. The show aired about once a month for 100 minutes, all live; the hosts were the same as the regular series, with Gundis Zambo alternating with Gilzner at the puzzle board. Greece Ο τροχός της τύχης ran on ANT1 from January 1, 1990 to 1996, then revived as O trokós tis túkis on MEGA from 1997-98. It was hosted at various times by George Polychroniou, Paul Chaikalis, Danis Katranidis, and Yiannis Koutrakis. From about 1993-94, to celebrate its 3rd Anniversary, the show changed its opening to a localized version of the 1992 American one, complete with that remix of "Changing Keys". Hungary Another popular version was Szerencsekerék, originally running from 1993-97 on MTV1 before jumping to TV2 until 2001, then returning for its current series in 2011 on Story4TV. The original series' Wheel used 23 wedges, with three pegs each. The series, in its three runs, has gone through several personnel changes. Also, the surname is listed first per customs of the Hungarian language. * In 1993, the hosts were Gajdos Tamás, Klausmann Viktor, and Prokopp Dóra. * In 1999, Tamás left and was replaced by Vízy András; Viktor left in 2000 and was not replaced. * When the show returned in 2011, Viktor returned as well and was joined by Árpa Attila and Rácz Zsuzsi. * In 2012, Viktor and Attila were replaced by Szulák Andrea. Indonesia Roda Impian, hosted by Charles Bonar Sirait, originally ran on SCTV from August 6, 2001 to August 2, 2002 for 260 episodes. The original hostess, "Vicky", was replaced on May 1 by "Ike". Originally, the show aired daily at 17:30 (5:30 PM), but on November 5 moved to 17:00 until February 4, when it returned to 17:30. On May 6, the show moved to its final timeslot of 16:00, where it remained until its demise. The series appears to have ended out of controversy; according to Sirait, some deception of the public was involved. Revivals The series was revived on antv from 2003 to July 29, 2005, followed by a very brief revival on Indosiar from January 2-March 3, 2006. Another revival was planned for MBC 4 to begin in December 2011 or January 2012, although it appears that these plans fell through. Israel גלגל המזל (or Galgal HaMazal) ran on Channel 2 from 1994-2000, hosted by Erez Tal. A revival, מחזירים את הגלגל ("Return the Wheel"), aired in at least 2010. Strangely, at least the revival has the set reversed (Wheel at left, puzzle board at right). Even stranger is that the revival's Wheel has just one arrow, positioned in front of the host. Italy La Ruota Della Fortuna debuted in 1985 as one of several games played on Pentatlon, which aired on Canale 5 and was hosted by Mike Bongiorno. The Wheel used on this version had only 15 wedges. The original pilot used an automated Wheel, with players stopping it via a button in front of them (similar to the Shopper's Bazaar pilot); these buttons were covered with boxes when the show went to series. Beginning in 1987 (specifically, on a "redemption episode"), each contestant was given one spin to begin the round. 1987-88 A revival aired on Odeon TV from September 1987 to 1988, using the shopping element and hosted by Augusto "Casti" Mondelli. This version was half gameplay, half something else (most likely a comedy show). Parole d'oro What could be best described as a knockoff, "Golden Words" aired on Sundays during the 1987-88 season at 4:00 PM, ending due to low ratings. The main difference was that the Wheel, rather than use money, had all letters of the alphabet (the Italian alphabet does not use J, K, W, X, or Y, except on loanwords) plus one each of Bankrupt and Wild. Players who landed on a letter could take the letter (for 500,000 lire per appearance) or pass their turn, as a wrong letter cost that player 500,000 lire. Some letters on the Wheel were gold, and hence were worth 1,000,000 lire per appearance. Landing on the Wild space allowed that player to choose a letter. Once a puzzle was solved, all players won what was on their display, with the person who solved receiving an additional 5,000,000 lire. The Bonus Round allowed the player to choose five letters, albeit picked at random from a bag. Solving the puzzle doubled that player's winnings. 1989-2003 The more famous version debuted on Rete 4, with Bongiorno as host and Ylenia Carrasi as hostess, although Carrasi was quickly dismissed and replaced by Paola Barale. On this version, the Free Spin was called "Jolly" and used a picture of a jester. Originally, the Jolly was a disc with a J on it, but this appears to have been changed because the wedge it was on said "JOO". By the end of the run, the Toss-Up awarded a Free Spin. This version was one of the few to try Wheel in an hour-long format; unlike in America, the show played at least nine rounds. The "warm-up lap" used on Pentatlon was dropped after the first few seasons. Round 3 was the Prize Puzzle, which was awarded only if the player could answer a "bonus" question. Round 8 added the "Golden Letter", which when called began a short minigame: Bongiorno named a category, after which the contestant had to name a certain number of things that both fit the category and began with the Golden Letter; success doubled that player's score, but failure was essentially Bankrupt. The final round increased all cash values and added a Vowel wedge, which essentially acted like Free Vowel did in the Shopper's Bazaar pilot. By the end of the run, the Bonus Round was played for a car. Aside from Carrasi briefly returning in 1992, Ruota remained stable until Barale left in 1995. She was originally replaced by Roberta Capula, who in turn was quickly replaced by Antonella Elia, who herself was replaced in 1996 by Claudia Grego; after Grego departed in 1997, Ana Laura Ribas briefly held the role and was replaced by Miriana Trevisan. At this point, the show returned to stability until 2002, when Trevisan was replaced by Nancy Comelli until the show's demise. The show ran for 3,125 episodes, ending with a Tournament of Champions. 2007-09 The most recent version aired on Italia 1, with Enrico Papi hosting and Victoria Silvstedt (from the French version) at the puzzle board. Japan Hoiru﻿ obu Fochon, hosted by Jyoji Shibue and Miyuu Sawai, aired on the Tokyo Broadcasting System during the 1980s-90s. Kurdistan There was a version, possibly a one-time special, sometime in the 2000s. Macedonia Тркало На Среќата (or Trkalo Na Srekata) premiered on A1 Channel in 2009, hosted by Igor Dzambazov and Natali Grubovic. Malaysia Roda Impian was another success for the franchise, airing on Astro Ria from 1996-2006; original host Halim Othman was replaced by Hani Mohsin in 2002. Hostesses included Zalda Zainal, Abby Abadi, "Spell", "Liza AF1", and Irma Hasmie. The show ended out of respect for Mohsin, who had died suddenly of a heart attack in 2006. The show briefly returned in 2009 on TV3, hosted by "Kieran" and Fauziah Gaus. Despite the program's demise in Malaysia, the original Roda Impian remains the longest-running and most-watched game show in the country. Mexico La Rueda de la Fortuna, hosted by Laura Flores and "Anastasia", aired on Televisa from 1995-97. The opening was a localized version of the 1992 American one, and oddly the show used two puzzle boards. The Netherlands Het rad van Fortuin, originally hosted by Hans van der Togt, ran on RTL 4 from 1989-98 and at one point used a localized version of the 1989-92 American opening. Hostess included Leontine Borsato, Patricia Rietveld, and Cindy Pielstroom. The show was briefly revived in 2009, with Carlo Boszhard as host. New Zealand Wheel debuted on TV2 in February 1991, hosted by Phillip Leishman and Lana Coc-Kroft with Grant Walker as announcer. This version based itself heavily on the Australian one, with a very similar set. The show began at 5:30 PM, then moved to TV ONE at 7:00 PM (previously held by $ale of the Century. In 1995, TV ONE expanded its newscast to a full hour and moved Wheel to TV2 at 6:00 PM, where it was unable to compete with the news broadcasts of TV ONE and TV3 and ended in 1996. One infamous episode which appears from time to time in blooper specials was boxer David Tua's game on October 10, 1992: at one point, he asked for P when buying a vowel; at another, he tried to buy a "constonant". He was also believed to have tried to call "O for awesome", but in fact it was "O for Olsen" (a reference to Olsen Filipaina). 2008-09 The show returned on April 14, 2008, again on TV ONE, now hosted by Jason Gunn and Sonia Gray. Like the American version, a SPIN ID number was drawn during the show; in this case, it was an "aside" during one round and awarded $500. Values ranged from $50-$500 in Round 1, $50-$900 in Round 2, and $100-$2,000/$150-$2,000 in Rounds 3 and beyond. *Toss-Ups were played like the US version, with a value of $100. *A Free Spin was placed on one of the $50 spaces in Rounds 1 and 2. *A prize wedge were placed in all rounds. It was always kitchen appliances. *$600, $700, $800, and $900 were placed on four of the $50 spaces beginning in Round 2. *$1,000 and $2,000 were added for Round 3. Also added were: a Bankrupt/$5,000/Bankrupt wedge, another Bankrupt wedge, and two Mystery Wedges. *The Mystery Wedges had a bribe of $300. It had a Bankrupt or $2,500 on the reverse. *In the Bonus Round, when players called one of the RSTLNE, it was wasted, unlike the US version. Wheel ended in June 2009 due to low ratings, low advertiser revenue, and high production costs; an increased emphasis on the play-by-phone game "Speed Digits" (where Gray gave RSTLNE and Gunn gave a sixth consonant) is likely to have been a contributing factor, as it typically disrupted the game flow. The week of April 27, 2009 had firefighters playing the game; while not stated outright, all of them were male, likely in an attempt to draw a large female demographic. Norway Lykkehjulet aired from 13 March 1990 to 16 April 1993 on TV3 and is the same as the original Swedish Lyckohjulet, with one contestant from Norway and two from Sweden (or vice versa) playing against each other (and as a result of the dual-country airing, intros and promos used two logos). This is the only known version of Wheel to have contestants from different countries playing against each other as a regular part of the format (Canadians have played on the American version, and at least one American played on the Australian version). For a while (also seen on the cover of the board game adaptation), only two contestants – one from Sweden and the other from Norway – played against each other. Two regular rounds were played, followed by a duel round (which may have been similar to the Bonus Round only with two players), followed by a single-player Bonus Round. This is the only known time a version in the worldwide franchise to regularly depart from the standard three-player format. Originally, the show was hosted by Ragnar Otnes and Ulrika Nilsson. Otnes was replaced by Knut Bjornsen on 31 December 1991, while Nilsson was replaced by Lise Nilsen on 1 September 1992. Initially, a shopping-based turntable was at center stage, which appears to have been dropped when Knut became host. There also appears to have been a one-time special that aired 26 February 2007. Panama La Rueda de la Fortuna, hosted by Rassiel Rodriguez and Nadage Herrera, briefly ran on Telémetro in 2001. It was revived on Canal 13 on June 9, 2010, hosted by Jorge Ortega, but appears to have ended in 2011. Peru La Ruleta de la Suerte premiered in late November 2011 on Frecuencia Latina, with host Cristian Rivero. It appears to have ended in 2012. The Philippines Wheel originally aired on ABC-5 from November 19, 2001 to October 2002, hosted by Rustom Padilla and Victoria London. This version used the Surprise wedge and Free Spin wedge (though treated like the token), along with the W-H-E-E-L envelopes and RSTLNE given automatically in the Bonus Round. The logo was the American one used from 1995-97. The peso amounts on the Wheel were 1,000, 1,200, 1,400, 1,600, 1,800, 2,000, 2,250, 2,500, 2,750, 3,000, 3,250, 3,500, 3,750, and 4,000 (notably between Lose A Turn and Bankrupt). Vowels cost 500 pesos. Special wedges included: * Surprise (Round 1), placed on the green 1,000 between 3,500 and 1,600. * Free Spin (Rounds 1-2), placed on the green 1,000 between 1,400 and 2,250. * Goodie 1 (Round 2), a Prize wedge placed on the orange 1,000. * Jackpot (Round 2): The Jackpot started at 5,000 pesos, with the wedge placed on the light-green 1,000 between 3,000 and Bankrupt. The Speed-Up is played like the American version, with consonants worth the Final Spin's amount plus 1,000 pesos. 2008 The show was revived on ABS-CBN from January 14-July 25, 2008 for 140 episodes, hosted by Kris Aquino with Zara Aldana and Jasmine Fitzgerald alternating at the puzzle board. Strangely, promos and the like for this version made no mention of the Padilla series. This version closely resembled the American format then in use, albeit with puzzles in both English and Tagalog, and K replacing R in the Bonus Round. The most notable difference was the Power wedge (known as "Hold Up" in other versions that use it) which, after calling a correct letter, allowed a player to steal all current round winnings from an opponent. If neither opponent had any money, the player still had to call a correct letter at no value. The peso amounts on the Wheel were 3,000, 5,000, 6,000, 7,000, 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, and 15,000. Vowels cost 2,500 pesos. A Free Spin token was present on the purple 6,000, and obtaining it also added 6,000 pesos per letter to that player's score. There was no house minimum, but it was implied that the contestants were given parting gifts. * Like the American version, three Toss-Ups were played for 5,000, 10,000, and 15,000 pesos respectively. Whoever solved a Toss-Up spun first in the next round (Rounds 1, 3, and 4 respectively). The person who won Round 1 also started Round 2, as was the case on the 1973-74 American pilots. * Round 1 featured a Bankrupt/100,000/Bankrupt Wedge. A correct letter on the center simply added 100,000 pesos to that player's score, which could be spent on vowels. * Jackpot (Round 2): The Jackpot began at 100,000 pesos, but wrong letters did not add to it. Landing on the wedge itself added 3,000 to the Jackpot. * Round 2 was also the Prize Puzzle. After the puzzle was solved, a question was asked about it for the prize. * Mystery Wedge (Round 3): Unlike the American version, there was only one Mystery Wedge (placed on the blue 5,000 and with a face value of 5,000) that could be a Bankrupt or 200,000 pesos; the wedge was either yellow, red, or blue. Also in this round, Power moved to between 3,000 and 9,000, with its former spot becoming a green 3,000. * If there was time for Round 4, a Bankrupt/200,000/Bankrupt Wedge replaced the blue 5,000. * When the Speed-Up began, the amount landed on was the value of the Speed-Up (if the Wheel landed on Power, the highest score earned by a contestant in this round would go to whoever solved the puzzle). Vowels originally had to be bought unless the contestant did not receive any money, but this was scrapped later on. Unlike the original run, the 2008 series ended with a proper finale: a special game with adult-child teams. Poland Kolo Fortuny was a TVP2 show which debuted on 2 October 1992, originally hosted by Wojciech Pijanowski and Magda Masny. Pijanowski left the show in 1995 and was replaced by Paweł Wawrzecki, who was himself quickly replaced by Stanisław Mikulski until the show's end on 1 September 1998. The show debuted during Poland's period of Złoty hyperinflation, resulting in the top amounts being zł5,000,000/zł12,500,000/zł17,500,000/zł25,000,000 until 1995, when the "new" Złoty was introduced and the top amounts hence became zł500/zł1,250/zł1,750/zł2,500 (the change was either before or during Wawrzecki's tenure). From 1992-96, the Wheel had 21 wedges with three pegs each; this was decreased to 20 wedges with two pegs each when the top amounts were changed to zł500/zł1,400/zł2,000 in 1996, and the Wheel also adopted a new color scheme. One major difference from the American version was the Bonus Round, played for a car through 1996 and a zł10,000 prize package from 1997-98: the seven envelopes (spelling out F-O-R-T-U-N-A on a pedestal much like the American one used from about 1990/91-92) only determined which five consonants and one vowel the player would receive at the outset, after which s/he then called for another three-and-a-vowel. Unlike any other known adaptation of the Bonus Round, the player had just one guess at the puzzle solution in 15 seconds. By 1993, the seven envelopes were reduced to four (now spelling K-O-L-O with a star between each) and gave just three-and-a-vowel. For a brief time, the graphics were altered to show the chosen envelope's letters and the contestant's picks at the same time along with the 15-second clock, although this was dropped by Spring 1994. Sometime between Winter 1995 and Spring 1997, the time limit was reduced to 10 seconds; the envelope podium was shrunk to a short, domed style; and the player was not given any free letters. 2007-09 A revival aired on TVP2 from 29 October 2007 to 27 October 2009, helmed by Krzysztof Tyniec and Marta Lewandowska. The format used here more closely resembled the American format, including the ability to give unlimited answers in the Bonus Round. zł1,500 was the top amount in all rounds. * Toss-Ups were played for a dishwasher or a trip to a hotel in Poland. The puzzle board's border lit up depending on which player (red, yellow, or green) buzzed in. * Vowels cost zł200. * Bankrupt was called "Bankrut", while Lose A Turn was called "Stop," although the latter was known as "Strata Kolejki" from its premiere until sometime in 1993. * Prize wedges behaved like the US nighttime Jackpot wedge: players had to call a correct letter on it and immediately solve the puzzle to win it. * The Bonus Round was played for cars, trips, and cash prizes up to zł50,000, using the Bonus Wheel. The player was given RSTLNE and selected the three-and-a-vowel, after which s/he had unlimited guesses. Spaces * AGD: Home appliances worth zł5,000. This wedge was placed on the orange zł150 between zł200 and zł300 in Round 3. * Wycieczka: Represented trips. * Nagroda: Any other prize. Placed on the orange zł150 between zł100 and zł200 for Rounds 1-2 and the other orange zł150 between zł200 and zł250 in Round 3. * Bankrut/zł10,000/Bankrut: Placed on the Bankrupt between zł500 and zł400 in Round 2, landing on the zł10,000 section awarded that much in spendable cash. * Mystery Wedges: Two were placed on the Wheel in Round 3 (one on the blue zł250 between zł350 and Skuter, the other on zł1,000), with a face value of zł500; these hid either a Bankrupt or zł10,000. Portugal A Roda da Sorte originally ran on RTP1 from 1990 to December 31, 1993, then returned in September 2008 on SIC. Both versions were hosted by Herman José. The original series ended in a rather unorthodox way: Herman walked out dressed in leather, wearing sunglasses and holding a shotgun. As the game progressed, José destroyed the various prizes sitting at center stage and, at the beginning of the Bonus Round, destroyed a weight scale in the same way. After the bonus puzzle was solved, he gave the winner all three bonus prizes before shooting at several trilons (notably blowing out one's light). During the credits, José pretended to kill the onstage staff before pretending to commit suicide. Romania Roata Norocului originally aired briefly in March 1997 on TVR1, hosted by Doru Dumitrescu. Another version, hosted by Mihai Călin, aired on Pro TV from December 1997 to May 1999. A revival debuted June 20, 2012 on Kanal D, now helmed by Liviu Vârciu. Russia По́ле Чуде́с (or Polé Chudes, literally "The Field of Wonders") has been airing on Channel One (1TV) since 25 October 1990. The original host was Vladislav Listyev, who was replaced in 1991 by Leonid Yakubovich and Rimma Agafoshina. The Wheel on this version is a drum, and scores are kept in points (although they are not shown during the game). Prize wedges offer that player 2,000 points or a prize, but the latter can only be taken at the cost of leaving the game (as does solving a puzzle incorrectly). Three puzzles are played with three new contestants each, and the three winners play another puzzle to determine the champion. Polé Chudes is the only iteration of Wheel currently on the air which uses the shopping format, done only by the final winner. The player then has the option to play a Super Game for an additional prize spun on the drum, with failure forfeiting all prizes already purchased. The current logo and opening sequence debuted on 29 December 2000. Singapore Wheel of Fortune, hosted by Bernard Lim and Eunice Olsen, has aired on MediaCorp Channel 5 since May 8, 2002. Slovakia Koleso šťastia ran on STV, then VTV, from 1994-97, hosted at various times by Jozef Pročko, Tibor Hlista, Roman Feder, Laco Híveš, Roman Pomajbo, and Peter Marcin. Oddly, Marcin's hosting duties appear to have been simply voiceovers, not unlike the "hosts" of 100%. Slovenia Kolo sreče aired during the 1990s on TV SLO1. Spain La Ruleta de la Fortuna originally ran from at least June 30, 1990 to 1997 on Telecinco, with the current version (La Ruleta de la Suerte) airing since April 17, 2006 on Antena 3. Originally hosted by Mayra Gómez Kemp, subsequent hosts include Ramón García, Irma Soriano, Bigote Arrocet, Mabel Lozano, Belén Rueda, Fernando Esteso, Jesús Vázquez, Andoni Ferreño, Goyo González, Carlos Lozano, and Diana Fernández. Values range from 0-200 Euros (previously €25-200) in multiples of 25. Lose A Turn and Bankrupt are named Pierde Turno and Quiebra, respectively. Spaces from the latest version * X2 and 1/2: Respectively double and cut the player's score in half (rounded down) when a correct letter is called. X2 is green and placed to the left of either Bankrupt, while 1/2 is red and placed to the right of the other Bankrupt. * ?: A yellow wedge with a large question mark that acts like the Mystery Wedge. However, instead of using a flat face value, the host will make an offer for the contestant to take in place of revealing the wedge. It hides either a Bankrupt or a random Euro amount at least €100. It is placed to the right of either Lose A Turn or Bankrupt. * Bote Round/Wedge: The Bote (Bank) Round is the Jackpot round. The Jackpot value starts at €1,000 and increases with every correct letter call, adding the same amount of Euros earned by the player on that same turn (though it does not multiply or divide). In order to win the Jackpot, the player has to land on the yellow wedge that says Bote, placed on a random Euro amount, call a correct letter, and immediately solve. * Priemio: A yellow prize wedge with the name and picture of the prize in reverse. It is placed to the right of either Lose A Turn or Bankrupt. * Quiebra/€1,000/Quiebra: If the player lands on the silver €1,000 section of this wedge, they earn €1,000 per correct letter (money which can be spent). This wedge is placed on either the purple wedges in one round. * Comodin: A dark blue wedge that is the same as Free Spin. It is placed two wedges clockwise from either Lose a Turn or Bankrupt. * Doble Letra: A light green wedge that acts like the Wild Card (a player may turn it in to call another consonant on the amount previously spun). It is placed to the left of either Lose A Turn or Bankrupt. * Ayuda Final: A red and silver wedge that, if taken to the Bonus Round, will give the player additional help for its puzzle. Before the player spins the Bonus Wheel, the hostess presents a tray with three colored envelopes (red, yellow, and blue). Choosing one will earn the player either an additional consonant, an additional vowel, or an additional clue about the puzzle. This wedge is placed to the right of either Bankrupt. * Me Lo Quendo: This red wedge gives players the ability to steal their opponent's wedges. It is placed two wedges counterclockwise from either Lose a Turn or Bankrupt. * €0 Wedge: If the player lands on this silver wedge, they must call a correct letter in order to continue, but win nothing. This wedge is placed two wedges counterclockwise from Bankrupt. * Gran Priemio: A two-space pink Prize wedge, reverse is the same as Priemio. If both pieces of this wedge has been picked up, the player holding at least one piece must solve the puzzle to win the grand prize. The left piece of this wedge is placed two wedges counterclockwise from Lose A Turn. * Quiebra Comodin: The Free Spin version of the Mystery Wedge. It acts like the ? Wedge, except it hides either a Free Spin or Bankrupt. Sweden Lyckohjulet originally aired on TV3 during the 1990s, hosted by Ragnar Otnes and Ulrika Nilsson. This run was the same as Norway's Lykkehjulet, played in the same studio with one contestant from Sweden and one from Norway playing against each other. A revival, Miljonlotteriet Lyckohjulet, has aired on TV8 since 18 January 2010. Hosted by Hans Wiklund and Hannah Graaf, the Wheel values range from 500-300,000 Kronor. Taiwan While Mahjong Fortune is not a licensed version of Wheel, it nonetheless heavily borrows from the franchise. One major difference is that the Wheel is replaced by a Pachinko machine, with the player in control rolling a Lucky Ball down to hopefully land on a money amount. The other major difference is to the puzzles: they are actually configurations of mahjong blocks, which may perhaps make the show purely based on luck. This version also has several "variety show" elements, a typical staple of Taiwan programming. Turkey Çarkıfelek, hosted by Tarık Tarcan and Mehmet Ali Erbil, debuted on June 1, 1992 as a Show TV program, then moved to FOX Turk a few years later. It is known to have ended in the late 1990s. A spinoff, Cark 2000, was hosted by Ataman Erkel and aired on Kanal D in 2000. It is also one of only two known international adaptations of Wheel 2000, the other being Vietnam. The show returned, now on the Turkish version of TNT, in 2011. The host is Petek Dinçöz. United Arab Emirates عجلة الحظ debuted in 2003 on America Plus, moving to Al Yawm in 2005 and LBC Sat in 2007 before ending in 2011. A revival is planned for MBC 4 in 2013. United Kingdom The British Wheel aired on ITV. debuting 19 July 1988 with Nicky Campbell and Angela Ekaette hosting. The format was similar, albeit with points, although Free Spin remained a wedge throughout the show's run. Solving a puzzle allowed that contestant to pick an onstage prize to be kept regardless of outcome. However, the format had one major problem from at least 1988-89: at the start of the round, and every time the Wheel changed hands, the player in control had to answer a 50:50 question to actually get control. A wrong answer meant the next player was asked a question for control, and the process continued until a correct answer was given. This slowed the show to a crawl, especially for difficult puzzles, and was replaced by 1993 with an open-ended toss-up question at the beginning of each round. According to one recollection, vowels were never available for purchase (not even through a wedge like the American version briefly used), and trying to do so presumably cost that player their turn. It is possible that such a rule only existed in Series 2 (1989), as Series 1 allowed players to buy vowels. If the rule was altered, it was dropped by 1993. Ekaette was replaced by Carol Smillie at the beginning of Series 2, who in turn was replaced by Jenny Powell at the start of Series 7 (1995). Bradley Walsh became host in 1997, but his style (a cross between Pat Sajak and Edd Byrnes) proved unfitting for the show and he was replaced by John Leslie at the start of Series 10 in 1998. Leslie and Powell left at the end of Series 12 in 2000, replaced by Paul Hendy and Terri Seymour for the entirety of the final series (which ended on 21 December 2001). The Bonus Round originally used three envelopes (A-B-C, offering a prize, new car, or £3,000), but were dropped in 1989 in favor of "pick your prize" (with the cash award increased to £4,000) and by 1994 this was replaced by a single package containing a car and £10,000. The envelopes returned at the beginning of Series 7, splitting the two prizes and increasing the cash award to £20,000. In 1999, when Wheel became a daytime show, the envelopes were again removed in favor of a flat £2,000. For the final series, Lose A Turn became Miss A Turn and a "500 Gamble" wedge was added. How the latter worked is currently unknown. The opening sequence originally used a unique logo, which changed around 1994 to a flashier one that more closely resembled the 1992 American logo. This changed from 1999-2000 to the American "marquee" intro from Season 16, after which the final series in 2001 used another "original" sequence and a new logo. Venezuela La Estrella de la Fortuna ("The Star of Fortune") aired on Venevisión from 1984-89, hosted at various times by Orlando Urdaneta, Corina Azopardo, Luis Velazco, and Juan Manuel Montesinos with Maru Winklemann as hostess. Vietnam Chiếc nón kỳ diệu has been running on VTV3 since June 2002, and from at least 2007-09 was heavily based on Wheel 2000 (one of only two countries known to have done so, the other being Turkey). The format used since then appears to be based on the regular nighttime one. Category:Wheel of Fortune Category:Lists